In a rubbing alignment process of TFT-LCD production, rubbing rollers of rubbing equipment are used for rubbing, and when it reaches the end of the service life of the rubbing rollers, the rubbing rollers of the rubbing equipment need to be replaced. Roller replacing modes adopted at present are classified into two categories: a manual mode and an automatic mode. The manual roller replacing mode is low in safety and is likely to cause safety problems, and thus in most roller replacing modes at present, the automatic roller replacement is adopted.
The replacing mechanism currently used comprises a stage exchange unit, an exchange placement platform, a stage elevating unit and two stages, and an electromagnetic connector arranged between the exchange placement platform and a rubbing platform of the rubbing equipment.
Each stage is provided with two placement grooves for placing the rubbing rollers.
In specific operations of exchanging the rubbing rollers, a first stage with two new rubbing rollers placed thereon is conveyed by a transport vehicle to an initial position of the exchange placement platform, while a second stage with two vacant placement grooves has been already placed on the exchange placement platform, and the stage exchange unit stretches out and takes out the first stage on the transport vehicle, and brings the first stage to a front waiting position; the rubbing platform of the rubbing equipment advances and is connected with the exchange placement platform through the electromagnetic connector, and the rubbing platform retreats and pulls the exchange placement platform to a rubbing roller replacing position, so that one of the two vacant placement grooves on the second stage is opposite to a first pressing device of the rubbing equipment, and the other vacant placement groove is opposite to a second pressing device of the rubbing equipment, and at the same time the stage exchange unit brings the first stage back to a stage exchanging position, clamps the first stage through the stage elevating unit and elevates the first stage to a high stand-by position; the first pressing device and the second pressing device respectively put two worn rubbing rollers which have reached their service life in the rubbing equipment into the two placement grooves of the second stage, then the rubbing platform conveys the exchange placement platform back to the stage exchanging position, and the stage exchange units takes away the second stage with the worn rubbing rollers placed thereon from the exchange placement platform and places it onto the transport vehicle; and the stage elevating unit descends and places the first stage onto the exchange placement platform, and the rubbing platform advances again, is connected with the exchange placement platform through the electromagnetic connector, and then retreats and pulls the exchange placement platform to the rubbing roller replacing position, so that one of the two placement grooves of the first stage is opposite to the first pressing device, the other placement groove is opposite to the second pressing device, the first pressing device and the second pressing device respectively take out and install the new rubbing rollers in the placement grooves opposite thereto, and the rubbing platform brings the exchange placement platform to its initial state, thus one exchange procedure is completed.
To ensure safety in the process of replacing rubbing rollers, the moving speeds of various components of the above replacing mechanism are very low. Although the rubbing rollers of the rubbing equipment can be replaced by using the above replacing mechanism, the two stages, namely the first stage and the second stage need to be used in the above replacing mechanism for taking, putting and exchanging the rubbing rollers, and the stage elevating unit is required to lift and then lower the first stage in specific operations, so that the second stage placed on the exchange placement platform is replaced by the first stage; in addition, the exchange placement platform needs to move back and forth between the stage exchange position and the rubbing roller replacing position for several times, the distance of travel is long, and the process is complicated, so it takes long time for the above replacing mechanism to replace the rubbing rollers in the rubbing equipment.